Liverpool's Transfer Plans: Winger Hunt and Future Investments

Liverpool’s late-window plans are gathering pace, and Andoni Iraola is right in the middle of the storm.

Within the space of a few hours, the club have reportedly lined up a second deal as the new head coach pushes for extra quality before Tuesday’s transfer deadline slams shut. It has been a strangely subdued window at Anfield, but the tempo is lifting just when it matters most.

Liverpool’s winger hunt – and more

The headline task is clear: find a left-sided attacker to take on the burden left by Mohamed Salah. Bradley Barcola has emerged as the leading candidate, with talks said to have accelerated last week and an expectation that Liverpool can get that one over the line before the window closes.

Ismaila Sarr has also entered the frame. The winger surfaced as a secondary target in the build-up to Saturday’s draw with Nottingham Forest, underlining how determined Liverpool are to reshape their wide options before the deadline bites.

But Iraola’s rebuild is not confined to the flanks.

On Monday, reports emerged that Liverpool had agreed a £30 million deal with Genk for goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans, a significant outlay on a position that already looked relatively settled. That move alone suggested a deeper structural refresh behind the scenes.

Then came the next twist.

N’Guessan lined up for the future

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have now reached an agreement to sign Saint-Etienne striker Djylian N'Guessan. The 18-year-old has reportedly been granted permission to undergo a medical as the clock ticks down towards the deadline.

This is not an immediate fix for Iraola’s forward line. N’Guessan is expected to link up with the Liverpool squad in the summer of 2027, a long-range investment rather than a short-term solution.

His situation at Saint-Etienne has helped open the door. The teenager is out of contract next summer, and Foot Mercato have reported that the French club had already “opened the door” to his departure, knowing they risked losing him for nothing.

For Liverpool, it fits a clear pattern. N’Guessan will join a growing group of highly rated youngsters being stockpiled for the coming years, as the club try to balance immediate first-team needs with a deliberate push to secure the next generation early.

Iraola’s message on the market

Iraola has been open about his priorities, but he has also hinted that Liverpool’s business would not stop at a winger.

“In the end there are certain things that you can do, certain things that we don’t know if we can do,” he said when pressed on the club’s transfer plans.

“It’s true that the priority has been to strengthen in the wide areas. Still we have four, five days, I’m sure if we can improve other areas, we will, but I don’t know how the market is going to finish.

“I cannot tell you. I have to be patient, the same as you. I want to know, believe me. It’s very uncomfortable for me. You are dealing with uncertainties all the time.”

The uncertainty may remain, but the direction is becoming clearer: one eye on the wings, another on the goalkeeping position, and a long-term bet up front in N’Guessan.

With the deadline looming and Iraola pushing for late reinforcements, the real question now is how different Liverpool will look by the time this window finally shuts.